Small grain windrower



Nov. 13, 1945. w. c. MCCANN 2,388,861

SMALL GRAIN WINDROWER Filed April 11, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nav. 13, 1945. w. c. M CANN SMALL GRAIN WINDROWER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 11, 1944 INVENTOR. 74602 Zj/am afifo O cpn'n/ m WNW ATTORNEYS .Nov. 13,1945. w. c. M CA'NN SMALL GRAIN WINDROWER Filed April 11, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 3- INVENTOR. Wyn 11am, 0. .Mc/(Zann ATTD R N EYE Nov. 13, 1945. w. c. McCANN I SMALL GRAIN WINDROWER Filed April 11, 1944 4 SheetS-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. Z V z/ZZ vam time damn,

S Y E N R m A Patented Nov. 13, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT;OFFICE SMALL GRAIN WINDROWEB William C. McCann, Windom, Minn.

Application April 11, 1944, Serial No. 530,502.

6 Claims.

The invention relates to a windrow, and more particularly to small grain windrowers.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a machine of this character, wherein small grain is windrowed so that it is picked up and threshed by a small rub-bar wide cylinder combine, and such machine is unique in that it delivers a wide swatch and lays it upon the ground on an undisturbed stubble, the wide swath being necessary if one is to utilize the effective threshing ability of a wide rub-bar cylinder, the type most small combines use.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a machine of this character, wherein the wide swath layed down is delivered straight back of the cutter bar, and the cut grain travels up an incline and down a chute without making any corner turns.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a machine of this character, wherein no straw choking action can take place during the cutting and conveying operations of the machine,'as the grain is not caused to change its direction of travel in the operation of the said machine.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a machine of this character, which is simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and eflicient in operation, strong, durable, novel in its entirety, and inexpensive to manufacture and install.

With these and other objects the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be' hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose the preferred embodiment of the invention, and pointed out in the claims annexed hereto.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view thereof.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail A desig nates generally the wheeled main frame of the machine constructed in accordance with the invention, and B the ground wheels which are journaled on a wide sweep axle Ill located at the rear of a draft tongue II, this having its position adjacent to one of the ground wheels to one header l2 having the endless draper or apron l3 supported upon upper and lower rollers l4 and I5, respectively.

This header l2 at the lower forward end has arranged therewith a reciprocating sickle bar or cutter l6 working in guide H with the fingers l8, which is of. standard construction. The header l2 at the upper end thereof is located between sector shaped side plates l9, which rise from the axle l0 vertically therefrom and are braced and secured in any suitable manner.

Meeting the upper open end of the header I2 is a rearwardly inclined outwardly tapered chute 20, which at opposite side areas thereof is fastened at 2| to. the plates IS. The chute 20 has joined therewith braces 22 for holding it inclined.

To'the upper roller. [4, that is to say, its axle at the end next to the tongue H is a belt pulley tread front and rear, only a portion thereof being denoted at 32 in Figure 1 of the drawings.

This tractor is of any standard construction and is the draft medium for the machine.

The header I2 is vertically swingable and has the axle for the; upper roller, M for its axis. The

tongue H has pivoted thereto a raising and low-' ering lever 33 operating a bell-crank 34, which at the arm 35 is lined at '36 to the header l2, while the arm 31 of such crank is tensioned by a spring 38 attached to the axle Ill. The lever 33 carries a hand released latch 39 engaging a keeper 4!], which is swingably supported at H to conform to the arcuate movement of the header l2 on adjustment thereof and the cutter unitary therewith.

Fixed to and rising from opposite sides of the header l2 are uprights 42' having journaled thereon above the lower mouth portion of the said header a reel 43, which is driven from a belt 4d trained over a pulley 45- on the axle of the reel and also trained over a pulley 46 mounted on a shaft 46 journaled in bearing 46 This shaft is also fitted with a sprocket wheel 41 having trained over the same a sprocket chain 48 which is also trained over a sprocket wheel 49, on one of the said ground wheels B. In this manner the reel is rotated by power from this ground wheel B.

The ground wheels B support the frame A at the rear thereof, while the tongue II which has a hitch at 50 with the tractor, supports the front end of the frame A.

The pulley 23 has concentrically connected thereto an operating rod 5| which through the connections 52 actuates the cutter l6 for its working.

Co-acting with the reel 43 is a belt tightener 53 for the belt 4! driving such reel.

The frame A with the tongue I l is suitably braced as at 54 to give a rigidity thereto.

In the operation of the machine when drawn by a tractor the grain is cut by the cutter l6 and swept onto the header at the lower mouth end thereof, then the header delivers the cut grain into the chute without the material making any corner turns and the latter discharges a wide swath and lays it on an undisturbed stubble upon the ground. The discharge end of the chute Zllmay be of any desired width, there being a straight-through principle used in the machine for the handling'of the cut grain said axle, a draft tongue connected to said axle, sector shaped side plates mounted on said axle a forwardly inclined header having a cutter at its lower end and the upper end thereof interposed between said sector shaped side plates, and a rearwardly inclined outwardly tapered chute fastened at opposite side areas thereof to said plates and thereby meeting the header at its upper end.

i 2. A machine of the kind described, comprising a wide sweep axle, ground wheels journalled on said axle, a draft tongue connected to said axle, sector shaped side plates mounted on. said axle a forwardly inclined header having a cutter at its lower end and the upper end thereof interposed between said sector shaped side plates, a rearwardly inclined outwardly taperedchute fastenedat opposite side areas thereof to said plates and thereby meeting the header at its upper end, and a wheeled support for the headerand chute..

3. A machine of the kind described, comprising a wide sweep axle, ground wheels journalled on said axle, a draft tongue connected to said axle, sector shaped side plates mounted on said axle a forwardly inclined header having a cutter at its lower end and the upper end thereof interposed between said sector shaped side plates, 2. rearwardly inclined outwardly tapered chute fastened at opposite side areas thereof to said plates and thereby meeting the header at its upper end, a Wheeled support for the header and chute, and a rotary reel above ,the lower end of the header.

4. A machine of the kind described, comprising a wide sweep ax'le, ground wheels journalled on' said axle, a draft tongue connected to said axle, sector shaped side plates mounted on said axle a forwardly inclined header having a cutter at its lower end and the upper end thereof interposed between said sector shaped side plates, a rearwardly inclined outwardly tapered chute fastenedat opposite side areas thereof to said plates and thereby meeting the header at its upper end, a wheeled support for the header and chute, a rotary reel above the lower end of the header, andmeans for raising and lowering the header.

5. A machine of the kind described, comprising a wide sweep axle, ground wheels journalled on 'said axle, a draft tongue connected to said axle, sector shaped side plates mounted on said axle a forwardly inclined header having a cutter at its lower end and the upper end thereof interposed between said sector shaped side plates, a rearwardly inclined outwardly tapered chute fastened at opposite sideareas thereof to said plates and thereby meeting the header at its upper end, a wheeled support for the header and chute, a rotary reel above thelower end of the header, means for raising and lowering the header, and means for driving the cutter, header and reel simultaneously with each other.

6. A machine of the kind described, comprising a wide. sweep axle, ground wheels journalled on said axle, a draft tongue connected to said axle, sector shaped side plates mounted on said axle a forwardly inclined header having a cutter at its lower end and the upper end thereof interposed between said sector shaped side plates,

" a rearwardly inclined outwardly tapered chute 

